Budler’s shock loss opens door for duo

The upset loss of double world champion Hekkie Budler when he was dethroned by unheralded Bryon Rojas has benefited two Eastern Cape boxers.

This after Johannesburg-based promoter Rodney Berman announced that the IBO title previously held by Budler will be contested by Siyabonga Siyo from Duncan Village and Mthatha’s Simpiwe Konkco on June 11.

Budler, who beat Konkco in his previous fight, went down on points to Rojas of Nicaragua at Emperors Palace last weekend.

In the process he surrendered the WBA super mini-flyweight crown which had just been bestowed on him by the WBA from the convention in Panama this past December.

Fortunately for Siyo and Konkco, who has since teamed up with Budler at Colin Nathan’s HotBox gymnasium in Johannesburg, the Nicaraguan did not pay the mandatory sanctioning fee for the IBO rendering him unable to claim two titles at once.

“The IBO title was stake for Budler only and now that he has lost the fight the title is vacant,” confirmed IBO commissioner Andile Sidinile, who supervised the fight.

This has now paved the way for Siyo and Konkco to battle for the belt at Emperors Palace.

Ironically, both Konkco and Siyo are fighting under the banner of Sidinile’s Sijuta Promotions.

But Sidinile denied that he played a role in having the title vacant so that it could be contested by his boxers.

“The fight is not even promoted by me but by Golden Gloves Promotion ,” he said.

GGP boss Rodney Berman confirmed that Konkco would fight for the vacant belt but could not readily reveal Siyo’s name.

Berman, who was hugely impressed by Konkco’s showing against Budler, had strong words for Budler.

“Budler was lethargic and he could not do something urgent even when the title was slipping away,” he said.

Incredibly Berman did not force Rojas to sign a rematch clause despite the Nicaraguan being a handpicked opponent.

Instead he is believed to have secured options on him, meaning the previously unknown Nicaraguan will likely fight his next fight under Berman’s promotion.

There are indications that Rojas might inherit Budler’s mandatory obligations against Thai boxer Thammanoon Niyomtrong who holds the regular title.

If the WBA forces the Nicaraguan to honour the mandatory sources indicate that the bout might be a co-feature to the Konkco-Siyo one which might be drowned in an upper class environment of Emperors Palace.

Budler is expected to return to the junior flyweight division where he held the IBO crown before being dethroned by current IBO junior bantamweight champion Gideon Buthelezi.